When you add a link from one page on your website to another page on the same website, the clickable words you use for that link are called the anchor text. This text is important for both people reading your content and for search engines trying to understand your site.
What is Anchor Text?
Anchor text is simply the visible, clickable part of a hyperlink. For example, in the sentence: "Learn more about SEO best practices", the words "SEO best practices" are the anchor text.
Why Anchor Text Matters for Internal Links and SEO
Anchor text provides context. When a user sees anchor text, they get an idea of what the page they are about to click to is about. For search engines, anchor text serves as a signal about the content of the page being linked to.
For internal links, where you have control over the anchor text, this is particularly valuable for SEO:
Helps Search Engines Understand the Destination Page: The words you use as anchor text help search engines understand the topic and keywords that the linked page is relevant for. If many internal links point to a page using anchor text like "link building guide," search engines will understand that the destination page is likely about link building.
Passes SEO Value: While most of the SEO value passed through links comes from external sites, internal links also pass a form of value or "link equity" between your pages. The anchor text influences the relevance signals passed along with this value.
Improves User Experience: Clear and descriptive anchor text helps users decide if they want to click the link, making it easier for them to navigate your site and find the information they need.
Using Good Anchor Text for Internal Links
Effective anchor text is descriptive and helpful. Here’s how to use it well:
Make it Descriptive: The anchor text should clearly tell the user (and search engine) what they will find on the page they are linking to.
Keep it Relevant: The anchor text should relate to both the content you are linking from and the content you are linking to.
Be Concise: Anchor text is usually just a few words, not a whole sentence.
Make it Natural: The anchor text should fit smoothly into the sentence or paragraph where you place the link. It shouldn't look forced or awkward.
Use Variety: While it's okay to use keywords in your anchor text, avoid using the exact same keyword-rich anchor text for every single internal link that points to a specific page. Using a mix of exact keywords (sparingly), variations, synonyms, and longer descriptive phrases looks more natural and helps search engines understand the page's relevance for a range of related terms. Over-optimizing with the exact same anchor text repeatedly can sometimes be seen as unnatural.
Avoid Generic Phrases: Anchor text like "click here," "read more," or just using the page's URL doesn't give users or search engines any context about the linked page. Always try to use more descriptive text.
Putting it into Practice
When you're writing or updating content and adding internal links:
Identify relevant places in your text where linking to another page on your site would be helpful for the reader.
Choose anchor text that accurately describes the content of the page you are linking to.
Ensure the anchor text reads naturally within the sentence.
By using descriptive and relevant anchor text for your internal links, you improve your site's navigation for users and provide search engines with valuable context, helping them better understand and rank your linked pages.
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